Updated: Two dead in single-engine plane crash near Kirksville airport

Wednesday

Nov 6, 2013 at 9:24 AM

The crash happened Tuesday around 7:15 p.m. Single-engine plane was flying from Denver to Wisconsin.

Updated: Adair County Coroner Brian Noe identified the two people killed in the Tuesday night plane crash as James Quinn, 66, and Robert Groh, 64.

The flight had originated out of Wisconsin, with a stop in Denver before approaching Kirksville Tuesday at about 7 p.m. ahead of a return trip back to Wisconsin, Noe said.

He declined to identify a cause of death for either individual before autopsies are conducted Thursday in Columbia. He said both individuals were ejected from the plane during the crash.

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Two people were killed Tuesday night when a Piper 32-A Saratoga single-engine plane crashed on approach at the Kirksville Regional Airport.

Adair County Coroner Brian Noe declined to release the names of the victims Wednesday morning, pending notification of family members, but said they were not Missouri residents.

According to Kirksville Airport Director Glenn Balliew, Kirksville Regional made contact with the inbound flight around 7:15 p.m. The private plane was on its way from Denver to Wisconsin and was stopping in Kirksville for fuel.

Kirksville was first alerted to the possible crash by Kansas City International Airport, which called to alert local officials it had lost radar contact with the flight. Kirksville officials had advised the plane of wind speeds and the flight's altitude, but lost contact when the flight was three miles away.

The plane was later located near the intersection of Hedgepath and Quail lanes, about 2.5 miles north of the airfield.

Adair County Sheriff Robert Hardwick said the plane was located after utilizing the emergency contact system at Adair County Central Dispatch to call county residents for any information regarding the crash. He said nearby residents reported hearing loud noises and deputies were able to locate the crash just off a gravel road in the county.

National Transportation and Safety Board agents arrived at the airport on Wednesday morning to begin an investigation.

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